GANGNEUNG -- Satoko Miyahara set a personal best again at the Pyeongchang Olympics, but it was still not enough for the figure skater to reach a medal spot.
The 19-year-old scored 146.44 points in the women's free skate for a total of 222.38 on Friday at the Gangneung Ice Arena. However, she had to settle for fourth, 8.64 points behind third-place Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada.
Fifteen-year-old Alina Zagitova was crowned the new Olympic champion, edging Olympic Athlete from Russia compatriot Evgenia Medvedeva out. Zagitova scored a total of 239.57, just 1.31 ahead of Medvedeva. Japan's Kaori Sakamoto came in sixth at 209.71.
"I did everything I could," Miyahara said after the program. "I have some regrets about the result, but I believe it will be a springboard for my next stage."
Entering the free skate 2.93 points behind Osmond, Miyahara gave an outstanding performance to put pressure on the Canadian, who skated later in the program. The reigning Japan champion nailed all seven jumps, including combinations, earning extra points in all of them.
But Osmond gave an even stronger performance -- she scored 152.15 in her free skate, earning a place after the mighty Russian duo.
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